‘We’ve got to rescue Katie before anything else,’ said Sean, who was busy emptying all the food he’d carefully hidden away in his pockets back into the serving bowls. ‘So first we’ve got to find out where –’

‘And they’ve got my – I mean our – spaceship!’ said Tyler. ‘Did you see they were carrying it really carelessly? If they scratch it I’ll –’ He curled his hands into fists and shook his head.

Shimlara leaned forward urgently. ‘I’ve got something important to tell you all,’ she said. ‘I was reading Enrico’s –’

The door opened and Joy appeared. She put a finger to her lips and pointed at the corner of the room. Then she cupped a hand over her ear. She mouthed out the words: They’re listening to you.

Everyone stopped talking. Shimlara clapped a hand over her mouth.

‘I hope you enjoyed your dinner,’ said Joy formally. ‘Shall I escort you back to your rooms?’

‘Yes. Thank you,’ said Nicola, speaking awkwardly as if she was in a play.

They all stood up and silently followed Joy through the corridors of Enrico’s mansion.

Nicola was impatient now with the heavy swishing of her red velvet dress around her legs. She wanted to be back in her jeans so she could feel capable and ready for action. They needed to think of a smart way around these people. ‘Work smarter, not harder,’ her dad said when he was coming up with a new (always ridiculous) way to do housework.

Joy led them back to Nicola’s room and ushered them in without saying anything.

‘Shall I run you a bath, madam?’ said Joy.

Nicola was about to decline, but then she realised that Joy was nodding her head frantically.

‘Oh,’ she said, ‘thank you. That’s just what I need.’

Joy walked into Nicola’s bathroom, beckoning them all to follow. She turned on both taps full blast so the noise of running water filled the room.

Then she crouched down on the floor. Intrigued, everyone sat down cross-legged in front of her.

‘This is the only way to make sure Enrico’s Thugs can’t hear us on their listening devices,’ said Joy. Her voice was low, so everyone had to lean forward to hear her. ‘Every one of your rooms is bugged, so if you want to talk in private this is the only way to do it.’

‘They’ve taken Katie hostage,’ Nicola told her.

Joy nodded. ‘I know.’

‘Can you tell us where she is?’ asked Sean. ‘We’ll rescue her.’ He punched his fist into his hand.

‘It’s impossible,’ said Joy. ‘She’s in the hostage room.’

‘Hostage room?’ said Tyler. ‘This house has its own hostage room?’

‘Enrico had it built specially. It has twenty security cameras, thirty alarms, and tripwires on every doorway. A team of his Security Thugs guards it. There’s no way anybody could get past them.’